by Fay Robinson
They reached her car, but he didn’t immediately dismount or set her on the ground. She gave him a questioning look. His gaze settled on her mouth, an unusual mouth that curved upward only on the right side when she smiled. When she wasn’t smiling, like now, it dipped only on that side and made her seem younger, even vulnerable.
He knew that mouth from somewhere, and having it inches from his own was making him want to do something crazy.
“Who are you?” he asked, curiosity overpowering his impatience.
“Ah, there is a normal human being beneath that grumpy exterior. I was beginning to wonder.”
“Are you a reporter?”
She hesitated, then shook her head. “No, Mr. Hayes, I’m not a reporter. At least not now. But I have come a long way to talk to you, so I would appreciate a few minutes of your time. I promise I’ll be brief.”
Her use of his name made his eyebrows knit together under the brim of his cap. “Do I know you?”
“No, we’ve, um, never really met in person.” She looked away and fanned her face with her hand. “Could we go into your house where it’s cooler and maybe have a glass of iced tea? Whew, it’s so humid out here. Is it always this hot in August? How many days has it been since you had rain?”
“You’re doing it again.”
She turned to face him. “Doing what?”
“Chattering.”
“Oh, sorry. It’s not intentional. I promise.” She shot him a big lopsided smile in apology. Desire came out of nowhere and slammed him in the gut.
The reaction was understandable, he told himself. He hadn’t had a woman in…hell, too long, and this one was particularly pleasing to look at with her long flowing hair and small well-curved body. She couldn’t be more than five feet tall, but every inch of it appeared soft and feminine.
If he could tape her mouth shut, she’d be perfect!
“Who are you?”
“I think, considering the way things are going, we might get along better if I didn’t tell you that yet.”
“Are you under the impression we’re getting along at all?”
“Well, no, but it’s my nature to be optimistic.”
“That’s too bad. You’ve got five seconds to tell me who you are or I’m putting you on the ground and calling Sallie.”
“Wait, please, that’s not—”
“Two seconds.”
“Oh, no, don’t!”
He loosened his hold on her waist, pushed her forward and acted as though he was going to drop her to the ground.
“All right, all right,” she said quickly. “I’m—” she cringed when she said the name “—Kathryn Morgan.”
“Damn!” She hit the ground, landing on her rear an instant after his expletive rent the air. “Sallie!”
The woman scrambled into her car. She slammed the door before Sallie could grab her.
“You didn’t have to sic that vicious animal on me,” she said through the open window. “All I want to do is talk to you.”
He dismounted. “My attorney has made it clear several times that I’m not interested in talking to you, Ms. Morgan. I don’t want to be interviewed for your book, and I don’t appreciate your sneaking onto my property and interrupting my work.”
“I’m only asking for a few minutes of your time to outline my project.”
“You can’t have it.”
“But by cooperating on the story of your late brother, you’ll have the opportunity to influence what material on James is used. This shouldn’t be an unauthorized biography, Mr. Hayes. Help me. Don’t force me to print his story without your involvement, please.”
“Leave. Now!”
“Won’t you reconsider? The previous books about James and his band, Mystic Waters, have only skimmed the surface of his life. They’ve concentrated on the drinking, the suspected drug use, the women. None have fully explored his music or his gift for composing.”
“He’s been dead six years. Let him rest in peace.”
“But the timing of this biography is critical. The twentieth anniversary of his first album is next year. People will want to know more about him.”
“You’re as bad as those tabloid people, always wanting dirt about people’s personal lives.”
She shook her head. “No, I don’t print innuendo or gossip. I spent years as a journalist. I respect the truth and I always present it fairly.”
He braced his hands on the window frame and leaned down. His anger made his voice shake. “Ma’am, I’m familiar with your reputation, but it doesn’t change the fact that anything you write, no matter how fair or accurate, no matter how well-intentioned, will make my family have to live through the pain of my brother’s death all over again. They’ve suffered enough, and I won’t help you hurt them just so you can make a few bucks or win another damn Pulitzer.”
“I’m not writing this book for the money or for any award,” she said shortly, her composure slipping.
“Why, then?”
“Because it’s a compelling and interesting story. James wasn’t simply a music idol. He represented the emotions and conscience of an entire generation. I want to write his story. I have to write it.”
He straightened and put his hands on his hips in what he hoped was an imposing stance that conveyed his irritation with her answer.
“Everything comes down to what you want, doesn’t it? Well, let me tell you what I want. No contact from you again. Ever. Leave this property and go home where you belong. Don’t harass my mother or my sister with any more phone calls. Don’t write my attorney.” He narrowed his eyes, his expression as menacing as he could make it. “And if you’re crazy enough to come out here again, I’ll feed you to Sallie. I think she’d enjoy that almost as much as I would.”
She reddened. For a moment he thought she might lose the self-control she was obviously struggling to maintain, but she only shrugged.
“I imagine I’d be a pretty tough chew, Mr. Hayes, even for Sallie.” Starting the engine, she put the car in gear. “But I’d really rather not find out.”
CHAPTER TWO
LOCHEFUSCHA, ALABAMA. The name of the town was on a sign along the main road. Population: 13,402.
“What’s the origin of that word?” Kate asked the desk clerk at her motel. “Is it Indian?”
“Yeah, the Creek tribe,” the woman answered. “Means eternal sleep.”
“Death?”
“Uh-huh.”
That figured.
Her room was a green-and-blue nightmare of floral prints and cheap furniture, but the air conditioner sent out a stream of air colder than she’d ever felt. She turned it up as high as it would go and hung over the vent until her overheated body returned to normal.
She peeled off her clothes and tossed her shoes and stockings in the trash. After that, she took a long bath to soak her aching muscles. Thirty-three was too old to be climbing trees. Her legs and back were killing her, and her tailbone felt bruised where Bret Hayes had dumped her on the ground.
She was loath to admit it, but her pride was bruised, as well. Her credentials were among the best in the business, her last two books international bestsellers. She’d been so sure that if she located Hayes and spoke to him in person, she could convince him to cooperate. Being turned down, particularly in such a humiliating way, hadn’t occurred to her for an instant.
She rubbed her sore backside. Well, whining about today’s fiasco wouldn’t help. She’d simply have to come up with a better approach. He had to leave that farm sometime.
At eight o’clock she stuck her notebook in her purse and set out on foot in search of food and information. The sun was a ball of fire against the descending curtain of twilight, and a solitary star announced the coming darkness.
She walked from her motel through the center of town, an uneventful trip of no more than ten minutes that did nothing to improve her first impression of the place. Grim. Small. The narrow buildings were mostly two stories and leaned against each other like weary s
oldiers after a battle.
As far as she could tell, the only choices for dinner were the Burger Barn down from the motel and the Old Hickory Grill on the courthouse square. She found an empty booth at the grill and ordered the All-You-Can-Eat Pork-Rib Special. Her plate came with a quart jar of iced tea and a roll of paper towels for cleaning her hands.
The waitress was a weathered blonde named Marleen whose plump body was threatening the seams of her uniform. “Hon, need anything else?” Marleen asked when Kate had finished her second plate of ribs.
She wiped her mouth. “I’d like information about someone, but I don’t want him to know I’m asking.” She gave the waitress a wink. “You know how men are when they think a woman’s interested in them.”
“Oh, I gotcha,” Marleen said, winking back, a willing conspirator. She slipped into the seat across the table. “Hey, Tammy,” she called to the other waitress, “I’m takin’ a break.” Then to Kate, “Okay, who’s the guy?”
“His name’s Bret Hayes. He’s a horse-breeder. Owns a place out on Highway 54 west of here. Do you know him?”
“Big good-lookin’ fella, but unfriendly as all get-out?”
Kate chuckled. “That sounds like him. His late brother was a famous singer and musician.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that. The guy I’m thinkin’ of has these killer blue eyes.”
“That’s Hayes. What do you know about him?”
Marleen didn’t know much. He kept to himself, she said. He came to town every Saturday morning at eight, sat in the same booth and ate a breakfast of bacon, eggs, grits and biscuits. He always ordered a second meal to go.
“And he has this major thing for peach cobbler,” Marleen added. “Comes in a couple times a month and buys a whole one to take home.”
“What about close friends or girlfriends?” Kate asked. “Ever see Hayes with anyone?”
“No, no one except that Logan woman from Pine Acres.”
“Pine Acres? What’s that?”
“A place they send kids who don’t have anyplace to go.”
“You mean a children’s shelter?”
“Well, sort of, but it’s a ranch. The kids live there until they find homes for ’em or they’re old enough to get their own place and stuff. Kind of like an orphanage, only real nice, and they’ve got adults who live with them and watch over everything.”
“Is he dating this woman from the orphanage?”
“Don’t think so.”
“But you said you saw him with some woman named Logan who works there.”
“Jane Logan. She runs the place, but I don’t know if he’s dating her. I saw them at the movies once, but they had a bunch of the kids from the ranch, so I figured he was helping.”
“A chaperon?”
“Yeah, I reckon he does that, since he built the place.”
Kate felt the familiar surge of adrenaline that came when she had a good lead. “Bret Hayes built this children’s ranch?”
“Yeah. Didn’t I tell you? He bought the land and donated the money to get it goin’.”
PINE ACRES. Back in her motel room Kate set up her laptop computer and inserted the name into her files. She wouldn’t have difficulty getting information. Most of what she needed would likely be at the county probate office or the library. She flipped open the telephone book and copied the addresses.
Her next step was to call Marcus at home. The phone rang three times before the answering machine came on. Kate waited through the brief message. “Marcus, if you’re there, pick up.”
Instantly he was on the line. “Kate, where are you? I’ve been worried to death.”
She smiled, amused at his overprotectiveness. Marcus was two years younger, but of all her brothers he watched out for her the most. He was also the best researcher around and had worked with her for the past four years.
“I’m in Lochefuscha, Alabama.” She spelled it for him from the name on the complimentary notepad by the telephone. “I’m at an exquisite little place called the Highway Hideaway, decorated in Early American Garage Sale. A trucker’s paradise, according to the sign out front.”
“What’s going on?”
“I got a lead on Bret Hayes, so I thought I’d fly down and see if it panned out. I struck pay dirt, Marcus. He’s living here.”
“No wonder he was so hard to find. What’s he doing in Alabama?”
“Breeding horses, apparently.”
“You’re kidding. Are you sure you’ve got the right guy?”
“Positive. And he didn’t deny it.”
“You saw him already? How’d it go?”
She sighed. “Horrible. He wouldn’t even think about helping.”
“Sorry, sis.”
“Me, too, but I’m not giving up. I’ve still got four months until deadline, and I’ll spend every minute of it, if I have to, trying to get Hayes’s cooperation.”
“But what about the book on Marshall? You said you wanted to get started on that right away.”
The late Thurgood Marshall was the subject of her next biography, but she was having difficulty calling the James Hayes book complete. The research on James was solid. The writing was the best she’d ever done. But the story had gaps, unanswered questions about his life that only someone very close to him could answer.
And that was the problem. James, the band, their manager, Malcolm Elliot, the equipment handlers—all had been on the plane the night it left Rome, Georgia, on its way to Chattanooga, Tennessee. It had crashed in a thunderstorm in the north Georgia mountains, killing everyone on board.
Only Lenny Dean, the bass guitarist, was alive. If you could call it living. A drug addict, he had tripped out one too many times on PCP, and his mind was gone. He hadn’t been on the plane the night it went down. He’d been wasting away in a mental hospital for the past nine years.
James’s mother, Marianne Hayes Conner, had refused to cooperate on the book. So had his stepfather, George Conner, and his sister, Ellen Hayes. Bret, his younger brother, represented not only Kate’s best chance to get what she needed on James, but her only chance. She had to get his cooperation, and get it quickly. Otherwise, this biography would never be what she’d envisioned.
“Pull off the Marshall research for a couple of days,” she told Marcus. “I’d like you to follow up on what I found out here. Maybe we can come up with something that’ll help me when I approach Bret Hayes again.”
“What do you need me to do?”
“Find out what you can about a place called Pine Acres. It’s an orphanage or foster-care facility. And do some more digging into Hayes’s finances. I want to know why someone who inherited millions of dollars is living like a country bumpkin.”
“Bad investments? Gambling? Drugs?”
“Maybe, but his criminal record is pretty clean. A few misdemeanor convictions for brawling but nothing major. He’s supposed to have put money into this orphanage, but I don’t think that would account for all of it. And this sudden streak of generosity bothers me, anyway. From what I’ve pieced together about him, he doesn’t strike me as the type to give money away once he gets his hands on it. Lose it doing something stupid, maybe, but not give it away. Oh, that reminds me. Find out what you can about the cost of breeding quarter horses. And check with the Secretary of State’s office for public records on his business. Let’s try to estimate how much he’s invested in it and what he’s worth.”
“Why the interest in his financial situation? What difference does it make how well-off the brother is?”
“Probably none, but I sure would like to know what I’m dealing with here. If he squandered the fortune his brother left him, it would be some story for the book, don’t you think?”
“Is that what you believe happened?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t want to make any assumptions before I get the facts, but my gut tells me something isn’t right about this guy. Most of his life he walked in the shadow of an older brother who had everything—looks, money, talent, fame
, some say even the woman he loved—but when he inherits money and gets his chance to live the good life he’s always wanted, what does he do? He buys a horse farm in an out-of-the-way place and spends part of the money building an orphanage. No way does that add up.”
“I see your point. I’ll get right on it. But hey, you watch yourself. He won’t like it when he finds out we’re digging around in his finances and his business records. You be careful.”
“I will.”
When Kate hung up, she went back to her computer. Tomorrow she’d spend the day asking questions, but tonight she needed to look through what she had on Bret and refresh her memory. She’d downloaded the files with his name on them into her laptop before she left, the information gleaned from interviews with childhood friends of the brothers and their high-school classmates.
She skimmed it. The stuff was pretty routine, although she’d found it useful while writing the early chapters about James’s life. Bret was five years younger than James. He’d spent less than a year at the University of Tennessee, then gone through one dead-end job after another. More than once his brother had bailed him out of trouble and supported him financially.
She got her pad and made a note to ask Marcus to call some of Hayes’s former employers. Why was he living in Alabama? Why not live in Tennessee where he could be close to his mother and sister? Because of creditors? To get away from the media? The man carried his desire for privacy to extremes, that was for sure. All those signs… That horrible little dog…
Whatever the reason, she was too tired to chase after it tonight. Tomorrow was soon enough. When she had more information from Marcus, she could start to piece things together.
She closed the file and went to bed, but she couldn’t sleep. For a long time she lay staring into the dark. She tried to close down her mind, as well, but it ran too fast, presenting her with too many questions and not enough answers.
Hayes would be attractive to the ladies, no question there. That handsome face and dark hair probably sent female hearts fluttering with little effort; that big muscular body no doubt made hormones race out of control.
